Vaccines protect against many diseases
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| Blake Thompson gets an oral vaccine from Dr. Theresa Smith. Blake and his twin brother, Brayden, are the sons of Austin and Nicole Thompson. |
Routine vaccinations that can start when your newborn child is still in the hospital protect children from many illnesses.
“No one wants to see their child get sick or get a life-threatening illness,” says Dr. Theresa Smith, a pediatrician at The Children’s Clinic. “Most parents make sure their children are protected with the recommended vaccinations.”
However, new vaccines, new combinations of vaccines, and new recommendations for what children need come out every year, making it confusing for parents, Dr. Smith says. For example, she says, “most parents know that small children need these shots, but they are surprised to find out that their teen-agers need vaccinations, too.”
Vaccinations help the body create antibodies to certain diseases and illnesses. They protect not only your child, but also your neighbor’s child. Vaccinations have kept children healthier and have helped eradicate many diseases. Many vaccinations work best when they are given at particular ages. Many require booster shots to help maintain immunity.
The first shot, one for hepatitis B, is given while the newborn is still in the hospital. A host of other vaccinations and booster shots follow a recommended regimen until the child is ready for kindergarten. Several shots now are recommended for adolescents.
In recent years, Dr. Smith says, new recommendations have included giving the hepatitis A vaccine to all children over 12 months, a rotavirus vaccine to protect young children against severe diarrhea and vomiting, a booster of the pertussis vaccine in combination with tetanus and diphtheria for 11- to 12-year-olds, the meningitis vaccine for 11- to 12-year-olds and young people headed off to college, and the new human papillomavirus vaccine for females to protect against cervical cancer, genital warts and precancerous conditions. The latter should be given before the teen becomes sexually active.
Dr. Smith recommends that parents continue to bring in their adolescents for routine checkups. “It’s a good time to put the child on a growth chart to check for obesity and to go over their needed shots. I would be thrilled if I saw all children for routine checkups every two years.”
Most vaccines are covered by insurance plans, she says. Every vaccination on the recommended list was made after a lot of study. Most are first recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and then followed up with a recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
If you have questions or concerns, you should discuss them with your child’s doctor, Dr. Smith says. The vaccinations are protecting your children from diseases you do not want them to have, she points out. “These diseases can lead to complications and even death.”
“I know the number of vaccinations is overwhelming for a lot of parents, but I tell parents I gave them to my children without a thought. I knew it was the right thing to do. You have to take the most up-to-date information you have and do everything you can to protect your child.”